Autonomous Express Bus Service to Be Introduced in Sejong from June

[Asia Economy Reporter Ryu Taemin] From June this year, autonomous vehicles will operate on Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) routes. Starting with paid transportation services using autonomous vehicles in Sejong City, the plan is to expand operations to other local governments.

On the 20th, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport's Metropolitan Area Transport Committee announced that it has officially designated 'new transportation-type exclusive vehicle categories' to allow autonomous vehicles to operate on BRT. BRT is a transportation system that operates buses expressively without signals, equipped with dedicated lanes and stations.

Vehicles allowed to travel on BRT exclusive lanes include 'general exclusive vehicles' used for city bus transportation and 'new transportation-type exclusive vehicles' that apply new technologies. This announcement specifies three types of new transportation-type exclusive vehicles: ▲ vehicles for operation-related research and development (supported by government and local governments) ▲ autonomous vehicles for public transportation ▲ commercial vehicles with applied technical improvements.

First, vehicles supported by central administrative agencies and local governments for research and development purposes aimed at operational technical improvements fall under this category. Autonomous vehicles for public transportation that have received temporary operation permits from the Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport for testing and research purposes are also included. Commercial vehicles with technical improvements related to the above two conditions are also classified as new transportation-type exclusive vehicles.

In particular, with the recent allowance for not only research and development vehicles but also commercial autonomous vehicles to operate on BRT, it is expected that related commercialization services will be introduced and expanded. Sejong City plans to start paid autonomous driving services on BRT routes for citizens from June, utilizing the autonomous driving technologies developed so far.

A Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Metropolitan Area Transport Committee official stated, "We will actively support related local governments so that various new technologies, including autonomous driving, can be proactively researched, developed, and commercialized on BRT routes outside Sejong City as well."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.